In ophthalmic optics, concave-convex lens blanks are formed from glass or plastic, after which a convex surface of the lens blank is mounted upon a retaining member known as a lens block. The lens blank and the lens block are then accurately mounted on a grinding apparatus, and a toroidal or spherical surface having a compound prescriptive value is rough ground into a concave portion of the lens blank. Following the initial grinding operation, the lens (which has ceased to be a lens blank by this point in the process) is fined and then polished to a final prescriptive value. The lens is then mounted on an edge grinding machine, which cuts the outer peripheral shape required to be compatible with the eyeglass frame in which the lens is to be mounted. Next, the edges of the lens between the concave and convex surfaces and the peripheral surface of the lens are bevvelled. Finally, the remaining peripheral surface of the lens is polished to remove any burrs which would interfere with the mounting of the lens.
Various types of manual apparatus for polishing the edges of lenses have of course been in existence for many years. However, the known types of lens edge polishers suffer from a number of more or less serious drawbacks. Most of the prior art designs consist of a buffing pad attached to the shaft of a high-speed motor. A high degree of dexterity is required to manipulate the lenses so that only the desired edge is polished (i.e., so that the working surface of the lenses are not damaged). Moreover, contact of the lenses with the rapidly turning buffing pad sprays the polishing medium around, so that clean-up of the surrounding area is arduous and unpleasant.